Pulp Phantoms
by greendimension
Summary: Sequel to "Wandering Stars". Accidentally disturbing ancient alien ruins has left The Robinson camp haunted by a variety of strange specters!
1. Chapter 1

She was perched upon a boulder with a tattered pulp novel in her hands. Dramatically, Venus read aloud for a small audience spread before her across blankets.

"An awful shuddering beauty, more dreadful than any ugliness could be..."

"And then what happened?!" Penny Robinson asked with mock excitement, trying to engage the little girl bouncing in her lap.

The days were long but the years were short and 5 had slipped away since strange fate had crashed Venus into this rock. All things considered, the collision had been a blessing.

"Oob oob! Key za! Key za!"

Will Robinson lounged on a blanket next to his sister, one hand held the arm of a toddler trying to balance himself on his feet. The little boy pulled a finger out of his mouth and pointed in the near distance as he continued shouting nonsense.

"Key za! Key za!"

Venus closed the book when she realized what he was gesturing to. On the other side of Penny rested the Robot, quietly ticking away and slumped against it in the shadow was a snoring Dr. Smith. The little girl in Penny's lap suddenly beamed, "It's past Uncey Zach's bedtime!" Will and Penny chuckled at her declaration.

"Did your daddy tell you to call him that?" Venus smirked. The little girl smiled and nodded proudly. "Perhaps we should pause for the evening, I'm sure dinner will be ready soon."

The little girl reached out to Will, "Piggy ride?"

"Okay Jenny...but hang on tight this time!" He responded, hoisting her to his shoulders.

Penny, now a lovely young woman of 19, picked up the little boy and rested him on her hip as she wiped his face with a handkerchief. "Johnny is going to see Mommy and Daddy and Meema and Papa..." She cooed to the dark haired toddler.

He leaned over her shoulder and pointed again at Dr. Smith, "Key za! Key za!" Penny glanced over to Venus as she crouched next to the sleeping old man.

"SHALL I ROUSE HIM FOR YOU?" The Robot inquired.

"No thank you, old friend. I can handle him." Venus replied softly as she took Smith's hand in hers and gently brushed his cheek. Slowly he came back to life and greeted her with a sleepy smile as she helped him to his feet. Penny smiled at their discreet affections and headed back for camp with little Johnny in her arms.

There was no doubt in anyone's mind as to the nature of the Doctors' relationship even though they remained so professional in public. Gone were the days of scheming and space madness for Dr. Smith, and so the Robinson camp respected the privacy of the strange doctors. Even when the ring Dr. Smith had worn for years suddenly appeared on Venus' hand, no one said a word.

Slowly strolling towards camp, Dr. Smith rubbed his eyes. "How did the novella end, my sweet?" He asked softly.

"It hasn't ended, we haven't even made it half way through yet. " Venus replied handing him the paperback.

Smith examined the book and its strange cover art before reciting it's description, "Here is the mystery and the glory of the universe, here is the legendary hero of the space ways, here is Northwest Smith!" He let out a satisfied sigh before bellowing with panache, "Top drawer, I must say! Nerves and eyes of steel, blazing the last frontiers of existence, just like all Smiths! He's a fine specimen in the family tree!"

The Robot that had been rolling behind the doctors suddenly stopped to emit a dry barking sound. Laughter.

Dr. Smith froze and sharply turned to face the Robot with a disapproving scowl, "And just what is so funny, you ill-mannered machine of misfortune?!"

"MY SPEECH SENSORS MUST BE DUSTY, EXCUSE ME DR. SMITH"

"Ohh, how I wish I could..." He muttered bitterly before turning back to Dr. Coagula.

Venus concealed a giggle and looped her arm around Smith's, "We'll finish the book tomorrow, dear. Dinner is ready."


	2. Chapter 2

Major Donald West took the hand of Judith Robinson in marriage five years ago. When space-opera adventure had placed her in more danger than ever before, Major West realized just how much he stood to lose if things had turned out differently. After gallivanting through time and space to rescue Judy, he swallowed his pride and abandoned the notion that they should wait until reaching Alpha Centauri. Not another day could pass in Don's life without Judith as his wife.

Dr. Smith had ordained the small ceremony, given his natural flare for pageantry. Will and Penny served as Best Man and Maid of Honor and the Robot bared the rings. John and Maureen Robinson looked on through bleary eyes as they lost a daughter but gained a son in law. They were thankful that Don and Judy decided to not wait a moment longer. Yet in the back of Professor Robinson's mind, hope for getting home drifted further and further away. A truth that perhaps Dr. Smith and Dr. Coagula had realized long before. The doctors began planning to build a dwelling beyond the cylindrical walls of the Jupiter 2. They assured the rest of the camp it was only to offer the newly weds a little more space and privacy. Once the arrival of Jennifer West was expected, Don insisted they stay. Though he'd never admit it to Smith's face.

And so little Jenny was born into this alien world. Golden curls and blue eyes like her mother, Jenny's cherub face glowed with an innocent curiosity that delighted everyone. Shortly after she learned to walk came Jonathan West, so named after his Papa Robinson. Johnny had his mother's eyes as well but a thick head of brown waves like his father. And he was _ornery_. The perfect word chosen by Dr. Smith to describe little Johnny as he seemed to enjoy pestering the grumpy old doctor almost as much as his father. He had gone through phases of biting, food throwing, and joyously shouting nonsense at him. Now, Johnny focused on standing and walking, no doubt to unleash more agitation on Dr. Zachary Smith.

William had grown quite serious at the ripe old age of 16. Just as thoughtful and loyal as he had always been, Will would help out any way he could especially now that Judy was expecting a third addition to the family. He often assisted the Doctors with the children when they needed routine check ups and studied medicine and psychology under their guidance. Penelope insisted she be addressed by her full name now that she considered herself a woman too. With her big sister in and out of a delicate condition for for the last few years, few noticed how lovely _she_ had grown. Penelope was all-heart and calmly composed at all times, making her the perfect choice to lead in educating Don and Judy's children.

John and Maureen felt blessed to be grandparents, given the hurdles the universe had placed in front of their family time and again. Mining for deutronium had crawled to a halt with all hands on deck; sustaining a comfortable life for two small children and another on the way. Judy, herself, was miserable at 28 weeks with every move watched by the entire camp. Don and Maureen were at her side nearly every moment of the day, restricting _everything_. Judy wasn't allowed much involvement in the hydroponic garden and not allowed to cook at all. Major West even suggested his wife not do too much lifting of Jenny and Johnny, since they were growing so fast. The unwelcome advice had upset Judy so much that Professor Robinson insisted Don accompany him in maintaining the water filtration system just outside of camp for the afternoon. It gave Maureen time to help Judy cool off, though she remained mildly salty about it by the time the two were setting the table for dinner.

"Judy, you're not going to stay mad at Don all evening are you?" Maureen asked as she set plates out.

Judy scoffed and crossed her arms. Looking down, she muttered into her chest, "Honestly mother...that man is...he just, he..."

"He didn't mean anything by it, Judy." Maureen said firmly with a brief smile.

Judy sighed and gave her mother a defeated look before noticing Will running into camp with Jenny on his shoulders. Penelope wasn't far behind with Johnny on her hip who began to squirm wildly when he saw his mother. The Professor and Major West pulled into camp just as Judy had scooped Johnny into her arms. Jenny stood at her mother's side with arms outstretched, wanting to be held too. Mr. and Mrs. West locked eyes with an intensity that promised a reconciliation. Don approached his wife sheepishly before picking their daughter up, himself. Maureen and Penelope instinctively slunk away to give the young couple a moment as John Robinson clapped his son on the shoulder.

"We better go wash up for dinner, Will..." He said with a wink and the two men retreated into the ship.  
"Judy...I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"I'm sorry too, Don..."

Forgiving smiles and looks of love painted their faces. Donald and Judith West shared a brief moment in awe of their little family, once believed to be impossible while lost in space. A serene moment cut short by the excited shouting of little Johnny.

"Key za! Key za!"

Squirming in his mother's arms he reached out in the direction of Dr. Smith and Dr. Coagula walking up the foot path.

"Good evening, West family! You're all looking well! How are you feeling, Judy?" Venus asked cheerfully.  
Before Judy could answer Johnny began fidgeting so violently in his mother's arms, she almost dropped him. He managed to grab the shoulder of Dr. Smith's sweater and with a big drooling smile he shouted even louder at the old man.

"Key za!"

"Good heavens, young man! Miss Penelope should teach you some manners! Major, see here that your son learns a little respect for his elders!" Smith griped while shying away from the toddler's grip.

"Aw, but he loves you, Uncey Zach!" Don shot back.

"Uncey Zach!" Jenny echoed joyfully in her daddy's arms.

Dr. Smith took a step back and pinched the bridge of his nose before muttering to himself, "Oh the pain..."

"DINNER IS READY" The Robot boomed from behind.  
Momentarily started, the Doctors and the West family joined the Robinsons for dinner.


	3. Chapter 3

Five years had caught up to the Doctors in a hurry around the time the third child was announced to arrive. Dr. Coagula's salt and pepper mane had faded to a bride-of-frankenstein silver dishwater. Dr. Smith's own muddy gray coif had grown into a stark white, which was being pulled by little Johnny at the moment. After much fussing and squirming in his mother's arms, Smith agreed to give Judy a break and feed Johnny himself. The squirrely child refused his own food and lunged to substitute Smith's meal for himself. Spoon after spoon would drop to the floor as the old Doctor struggled to balance the toddler in his lap. He had grown so fast that it now required two arms and a considerable amount of force to keep little Johnny still. Sensing much frustration, Venus stood and grabbed Smith's plate. With a soft chuckle she leaned over and began spoon feeding little Johnny and Dr. Smith while he firmly held him still with both arms. He gave Venus a greatly pained look of humiliation, but the arrangement was working. Johnny was finally quiet and eagerly eating in Smith's lap. Though much smirking spread around the dinner table, no one laughed or commented to spare Dr. Smith's further embarrassment...for now.

Breaking the silence, Will cleared his throat, "Where did you get that neat book you were reading today, Dr. Coagula?"

Still alternating between Smith and Johnny, Venus looked up, "Oh, Major West let me borrow it, actually."

"I have a bunch more if you're interested, Will. I used to blow through them in barracks over and over again. There's dozens in my footlocker," West offered.

"Thanks, Don. I'll look through them after dinner."

"Oh no, Will!" Penelope lamented suddenly. "Don't spoil things by reading ahead! I love that we can all get together under the bluffs for story time."

"I luff story time!" Jenny declared jubilantly with her hands above her head.

"Aw don't worry, Penny. I wouldn't miss story time for the world." Will gave his sister an evil grin, purposely not calling her by her full name. She shot one right back. "It's just that reading a little before bed helps me sleep better."

"Are you still waking up in the middle of the night, Son?" Maureen asked concerned while passing a tray of food to her husband.

"It's getting better, Mom. Honest." He felt a little guilty for worrying her. She had enough going on with Judy and the grand kids.

"I got this one book about a kid raised by 2 robots and a brain in a jar and then he becomes a superhero. I'll loan it to you," Major West said.

"Thanks Don, It sounds great."

Little Johnny's eating had slowed to a complete stop as he started to slump in Smith's arms, struggling to keep his eyes open. Gently, Venus loaded the sleepy boy onto her shoulder, "I'll get him cleaned up and put to bed."

Dr. Smith expressed gratitude as she headed for the Jupiter 2 and resumed eating dinner on his own. Suddenly he stopped when he felt everyone's eyes on him. Don was biting his lip, practically about to explode in his chair.

"Is something wrong?" Smith asked, looking around innocently.

"Be sure to finish your dinner, Uncey Zach. You wanna be in the clean plate club, don't ya?" Major West asked mockingly with a grin spanning ear to ear. The entire dinner table snickered in response and Smith's face turned red. Penelope and Judy struggled to hide their smirks and Maureen buried her face in John's shoulder. Jenny stood in her chair and held up her plate.

"Looky, Uncey Zach! It's easy!" She said encouragingly with a sweet smile.

The snickering turned to boisterous laughter. None could hold back. Dr. Smith remained composed but shot daggers of derision around the table before settling his gaze on the little girl. His face broke into an oily smile.

"Just splendid, young lady! Be sure to save room for desert!" He soothed.

"Would you like a slice of cake, Dr. Smith?" Professor Robinson asked, half panting from laughing so hard.

"I believe I have lost my appetite. Goodnight everyone." And with that, Smith stood up straight, held chin high and stalked off to the Jupiter 2.

* * *

Echoing in the distance, a tinkling voice sang sad operatic notes. They cut through the darkness and into the foggy dreamless sleep that Will Robinson lie in. He sat up in his bed and looked around his cabin but found only the stillness of the night. The hollow singing began again. A song that he recognized from somewhere but unsure of how. Momentarily he thought Dr. Smith might be unable to sleep and playing classical music in his cabin again. Will rose from his bunk, slipped into a robe and down the hall. The singing grew louder near the entrance of the ship.

"Is it coming from outside?" He muttered to himself just loud enough that a startled Dr. Smith cried out.

"Ahh! William!?" Smith had been creeping along in his nightshirt, transfixed by the music as well.

"Shhh!"

"What are you doing up this late?" Smith whispered.

"Same as you, trying to figure out where that music is coming from" Will responded.

"Deirdre Harris," Smith stated.

"Excuse me?"

"It is a Deirdre Harris song. I don't believe it is actually her outside singing 'The Yellow Rose of Eden' but someone is!" He added. Without another word Will ran down the ramp and outside. "William! Wait!" Smith half whispered after him.

The voice itself was beautiful, tinny and lilting as it echoed through camp. Once Will stood at the borders of the force field, the singing had stopped. He looked around anxiously hoping to spot something in the dark and suddenly it appeared. A golden gynoid in a shimmering silver dress leapt out of the shadows and swayed its arms in a graceful gesture. The head was a solid shining plate of gold, mirroring all the world and dripping with molten light. The being twirled and dipped in a hypnotic dance across the sands.

"Who are you?! What do you want from us?!" Will demanded. The gynoid paid no attention and continued its elegant ballet. "Answer me! Who are you?!" He shouted more angrily.

"William!" Dr. Smith cried from the entrance ramp, "Who is out there? Who are you yelling at?"

Will looked back to the nervous Doctor, "There's a robot out here! A lady robot!" Turning again, Will found that the dancing gynoid had vanished into the night. He sprinted back to the Jupiter 2, "Please tell me you saw it, Dr. Smith?!"

"Saw what, my lad? Where was the singing coming from?"

"There was a lady robot dancing outside of the force field, I saw her! She was there-tell me you saw her too!"

Dr. Smith gave Will a sympathetic look and put his hands on his shoulders, "I'm sorry, William..."

Will shook his head in frustration, now realizing how tired he actually was. _Maybe I dreamed it?_ He thought to himself before emitting a sigh of exhaustion."Come on, Dr. Smith. Let's go back to sleep."


	4. Chapter 4

An oppressive humidity had settled upon the camp from more nearby solar flares, early the next morning.  
Dr. Coagula was in her cabin collecting texts and notes when Will walked in.  
"Good morning, Will!" She sang cheerfully, "Are you ready to tackle veins and arteries today?" Once she got a good look at him her face fell into concern. Will's eyes were red-rimmed with dark circles and his face was ghostly white. "Not sleeping well again?" She asked with a sympathetic smile.

Will yawned in response, "I just keeping waking up from bizarre dreams."

Venus put a hand to his forehead momentarily and checked his neck for swollen glands. "You and Zachary...I swear..." She muttered softly.

"Does Dr. Smith still have nightmares?" He asked, meeting her gaze. She pulled a small flashlight out of her pocket and lifted his eyelids one by one for a peek underneath.  
"Mmm well...once in a blue moon he does. he did last night."

"Oh. Uh, did he say what it was about?" He asked.

"He prefers not to discuss his dreams so I never ask..." She said unconcerned and slumped her shoulders forward with a heavy sigh. "You're healthy as a horse, Will. You just need to get some rest. Maybe we can take a day off from your studies? Try to relax or have a little fun?" She offered.

Will rubbed his eyes and kicked at the floor, "Maybe you're right..."

"Why sure! You know, I promised Penelope that I'd help her take the kids swimming down by the bluffs, later today. How about you come along? I know Jenny and Johnny would appreciate your company."

Will noticed a veil of perspiration beading across her forehead and just how uncomfortably hot he was as well. _Swimming would hit the spot_ , he thought to himself.

"Oh Veeeenus, dear!" Dr. Smith's falsetto cry echoed down the hall, growing louder as he neared the cabin. "Venus, my love, I've brought you some coffee on ice as you requested-oh." Rounding the corner, Smith was surprised by Will's presence. "My apologies William, I did not mean to intrude."

"It's okay Dr. Smith, I was on my way out. I think I will join you and Penny later on, Venus...and thanks." He politely smiled and excused himself from the cabin.

"My word! The lad looks frightful, today. Trouble sleeping?" Smith asked while handing the cup of coffee to Venus.

"Yes, but I predict a day of chasing toddlers in the sun will have our young man sleeping like the dead tonight...no more bad dreams..."

Smith had been nodding in agreement but snapped to attention at the mention of 'bad dreams'. A puzzled expression tensed his features and he wondered if Will had mentioned the eerie singing from the previous night.

* * *

Across rippling sands and yellow dunes, Penelope had discovered the planet's terra gently sloped into spiraling bluffs. They were easy to scale and terminated into a quiet meadow of blue long grass and wild flowers of pink and purple. Slightly further from the bluffs was a shallow pool of clear water that reflected the sky and flowed into a larger, murkier body of water. It was a shady haven, cool and still and Penelope was so proud of discovering it. Professor Robinson and Major West scoured the area and tested every element to ensure it was safe. Once proven time and again, Penelope arranged picnics, fishing trips and other group activities to the area. Time had a funny way of changing everyone. New responsibilities and interests can cause friends and family to drift away from one another and Penelope took on the task of keeping the camp as tight-knit as they ever were.

Dr. Smith rested in the shade of a boulder while the Robot fanned him. "Pink up the pace, Ninny. I'm accumulating moisture," He half whined while dabbing at his brow with a handkerchief.

"Come on, Dir. Smith! You'd feel a lot better if you got in the water!" Will called from the shallow pool. Jenny and Johnny cheered in agreeance from the buoyant arms of Penelope and Dr. Coagula.  
Smith wiggled his fingers in a coy wave to the children, "No thank you, my lad! I'm a land lover..." He called back while elbowing the Robot to fan faster.

An evil grin spread across Will Robinson's face as he leaned into the surface of the water and began splashing in Smith's direction. The old doctor emitted a shrill cry as cold water soaked into his clothes. Jenny and Johnny immediately began imitating their uncle and tried splashing Dr. Smith as well. With a loud harrumph, Smith stood and brushed off his wet clothes before resting his bones again at a safe distance from the water. Haughtily he gestured for the robot to follow him and resume fanning.

Penelope handed Jenny to Will as she climbed on shore to towel off before lunch. Resting on a blanket, she rummaged through a pack to prepare the kids' food when a shimmering distortion caught her eye in the distance. In the deeper murky water, hypnotic waves materialized on the surface and buzzed in the air like static electricity. Penelope shrugged it off as heat distortion and took a sip of water from her canteen. She let out a satisfied sigh and surveyed the landscape; rolling waves of blue long grass rippled in a slight breeze, her brother and Venus entertaining Don and Judy's children, and Dr. Smith napping in the shade next to the Robot. The glimmering haze caught her attention again, growing into a warped fog over the swampy end of the water. Curiosity got the best of her and she causally strolled to the muddy shore.

Will and Venus climbed onto the bank with the children to get them cleaned up for lunch. Slowly Venus strolled to the swamp with Johnny holding her hand and leading the way on wobbly feet.

"Watcha looking at Auntie Penelope?" Venus asked.

"I'm not sure, looks like...swamp gas?" She responded before picking up a rock and skipping it across the water. Penelope squatted down and handed a smaller rock to Johnny. "Why don't you give it a try, little man?"  
Venus smiled and left the toddler with his aunt and headed to wake Smith for lunch. She had only taken a few steps when a deafening roar erupted behind her followed by Penelope's screams. Dr. Smith and Will jumped to their feet to behold a massive horned beast rising from the swamp. It's hide was a leathery brick color with a giant veiny yellow eye staring out of the center of its face.

Penelope protectively wrapped herself around Johnny and cried out for her brother as she backed into a wooded area. The beast emitted a guttural roar again and stomped upon the murky shore towards Penelope and Johnny.

"Save them, ninny!" Dr. Smith shouted at the robot. He lurched into action tearing across the long grass as the beast swatted at trees between itself and Penelope. Will snatched a lazer pistol from his bag and fired on the creature. The blast went right through it, completely unaffected.

"STAND DOWN WILL ROBINSON!" The Robot boomed and fired its heat ray from its claws. The beam missed the orange beast by an inch and zapped a dead tree it had snapped in half, sending the trunk up in flames. Penelope backed herself deeper into the wooded area to slow the thing down until she hit a stone ridge. She ran along the bluff with Johnny to where Will was calling for them with outstretched arms.

"Over here, Penny!"

Running as fast as she could, Penelope deposited a bawling Johnny into her brother's arms.

"Both of you!" Smith commanded, "Get back to Jenny! Now!"

The Robinsons did as they were told as Smith sprinted to Dr. Coagula's side. Trying to urge her to run, Venus grabbed his arm and pointed at the beast. "Look! The fire!" The creature nervously shifted itself from the flames back into the water while crying out in terror. "Robot, the tree! hit it again!" Venus shouted.

Obediently, the Robot shot another heat beam at the tree and it crashed to the ground. The Doctors ran to the tree and tore flaming branches off, swinging them at the creature.  
"Back to where you came from you vile thing!" Smith snarled while wielding his makeshift torch. The monster bellowed in agitation and slunk further into the black waters before suddenly freezing in place. A silence fell on them all. In the crackle of the fire, the ghastly visage contorted before their eyes, becoming a hazy distortion and it then vanished all together. Not even leaving a ripple on the water. The bewildered Doctors embraced in relief before rejoining the children.  
Smith paused by the Robot, "Thank you old friend, " He said half panting still. "Run a scan on residual energies."

The Robinsons were consoling their niece and nephew on a blanket. Will looked at his sister and could tell she was on the verge of tears, though she struggled to remain composed.

"Penny?" He asked with concern. "Are you alright?"

She stopped fussing for a moment and gave him a weak smile. Tears sat on the rims of her eyes and she nodded.

"Yes..." She managed to squeak before clearing her throat and starting again, "But if you call me 'Penny' one more time, William Robinson..."


	5. Chapter 5

Shortly after returning to camp, a great uproar occurred while Judy and her mother were putting the children to bed. Professor Robinson and Major West were arguing about who or what was to blame for the disturbance under the bluffs. Still new to parenting and quite shaken up by his children being in danger's path, Don's temper flared the hottest and he lashed out at all within ear shot.

"Calm down, Don, it's over! We're lucky that nobody was hurt and they all made it home safely!" The Professor pleaded with the pilot.

"That's not the point, John! It shouldn't have happened in the first place!" West turned to Will and Penelope, who sulked under his gaze, "I want these little field trips of yours to stop, do you understand?"

"Oh come on, Don!" The Professor protested.

"Yes, listen to reason, Major! William and Penelope are not to blame-" Dr. Smith added, waggling his finger to further his point.

"How about you, Smith?" West demanded, "Where exactly were you when all of this happened? Hiding like a coward, no doubt..."

"Now see here, sir! I'll-"

"You'll what, old man? Huh?" West took a threatening step forward so that he and the Doctor were nose to nose. "Ohh, what a fool I was to believe that a fossilized degenerate was capable of supervising teenagers, let alone toddlers-"

 _*SMEK*_

Major West heard a loud pop followed by a collective gasp before his own heartbeat filled his ears. Momentarily disoriented, a hot pain had engulfed the left side of his face by the time he realized he had been struck-by Dr. Coagula!  
Her face was coldly tensed with disgust, yet she kept her voice low and calm, "You damn well know that Zachary and I love your children as if they were our own, just as we love The Robinsons' children. To suggest otherwise-" Venus wretched in anger as tears filled her eyes, she turned to Will and Penelope and lowered her head in shame. "I-I'm sorry Will, I'm sorry Penelope," She lamented and turned on her heel. Her face broke to reveal unbearable pain and she stormed off to the Jupiter 2 while cradling her wrist.

Dr. Smith had been standing with his mouth agape but quickly regained his senses. He shyly eyed the Professor and Major West before calling after the teens, "William, Miss Penelope...come with me..." He shot a final look of derision at Don before the three of them trekked into the ship as well.

"Can you believe that?" Don asked the Professor while rubbing his sore jaw.

John Robinson sighed deeply and gave his pilot a stern look which melted into a smirk. Clapping him on the back, he said, "You had it coming, Don." And with that, he left the pilot alone.

* * *

"And she hit him?!" Maureen asked her husband with wide eyes. John chuckled to himself as he tinkered with switches on the Robot's hull. "Should we say something?" She asked again.

John shook his head, "This is between them and besides...these things have a way of working themselves out." With a few more switch flicks the Professor stood back from the robot, "There now...playback recorded data from residual energy scan."

The Robot's circuits whirred into action, "RESIDUAL ENERGY SCAN DETECTED WEAK SIGNALS FROM RED LIGHT SCANNERS."

"Red light technology became obsolete on Earth...several decades ago..." Maureen commented.

"SCANNERS ARE OF A COMPOUND STRUCTURE, LYING DORMANT UNTIL ACTIVATED BY DELTA WAVES. ONCE ACTIVATED THEY WILL PROJECT ARTIFICIAL LIFE FORMS MADE UP OF PHOTON PARTICLES."

"Well...whatever we're dealing with here predates quantum hologram development in the last century," John said.

"Robot, are you positive about the scanners being activated by delta waves?" Maureen asked with concern.

"AFFIRMATIVE."

"What is it, dear?" John asked his wife.

Her brow furrowed as she tried to make sense of everything, "Delta waves emanate from mammal brains during deep sleep..."

The Robinsons exchanged confused expressions, troubled by the uncertainty of what their camp was up against this time around.

* * *

Dr. Coagula and Judy were hunched over a small bedside table in the Doctors' cabin. Judy, as sweet as cake at a church picnic, was gently massaging Venus' injured hand in a bowl of ice water.

"It'll be stiff for a few days and maybe even bruise a little..." She said in a soothing tone.

Venus narrowed her green eyes at the young mother, "Judy...you don't have to do this, you know?"

"I know," She responded with a coy smile.

"But dear, I assaulted your husband, the father of your children! In front of your younger siblings..." Venus covered her face with her good hand in embarrassment.

"Don shouldn't have said those awful things about Dr. Smith," Judy said, suddenly growing stern. "You're not supposed to talk to your family like that."

"You're not supposed to strike them either...I need to apologize this instant!" Venus swiftly jumped to her feet but Judy still had her by the hand.

"No, no, no...save it for the morning. You and Don both need to sleep on it and start fresh tomorrow," Judy insisted.

"With all of the excitement around here today, I'm not so sure I'll be able to sleep," Venus said sitting down again. "My nerves are thoroughly frayed."

Judy removed her hand from the bowl of ice water and dried it on a small towel. "Here..." she offered, placing Coagula's hand on her own belly, swollen with life. "Maybe this will help calm you..."

The two women sat in perfect silence, astonished at another miracle of life in the darkest depths of space. Dr. Smith peered in from the door way and watched with a pleased smile on his face, not wanting to disturb them. Finally he broke the silence, "Good evening, ladies..."

Judy returned his soft smile and stood up, "Well I best be running off to bed. We both need our sleep," She said, patting her stomach. "Good night Dr. Coagula, good night Dr. Smith..." She gave each doctor a peck on the cheek before exiting their cabin.

"Good night Mrs. West," Smith said shutting and locking the door behind her.

Venus gave him a remorseful look as he approached her. "Zachary...I'm so sorry about earlier, I-"

"Don't be, you marvelous creature...don't be..." He interrupted, gathering her into his arms.

* * *

From out of the night there came a shrill, flat, hooting cry of _"Jubb! Jubb! Jubb!"_

Will blinked himself back into waking life as the strange sounds echoed in his nocturnal state. He sat up in bed and strained his ears to hear something. There was the high pitch static whine of silence in the night and faint sounds of snoring from other cabins. Will let out an exasperated sigh before rolling over to go back to sleep.

 _"Jubb! Jubb! Jubb!"_

This time Will threw the covers off of him and flew out of bed. He ran down the hall to the Doctors' cabin and softly knocked on the door.  
"Dr. Smith, are you awake? It's Will, I need to talk to you..." He whispered hoarsely through the door.

 _"Jubb! Jubb! Jubb!"_ The shrill hooting in the distance continued and Will froze in terror. His eyes darted around, trying to catch any movement in the dark that would accompany these strange and eerie cries. He jumped when the cabin door finally cracked open and Venus peered out.

"William?" She whispered in a surprised tone, "What's the matter, dear?"

"Is Dr. Smith awake? I need to talk to him now," He pleaded.

"I'm sorry, he's indisposed for the night...What's going on?"

"Can you please try and wake him, Venus? It's important!" Will was growing panicky which alarmed Dr. Coagula as well.

"What is it, Will? What's happening?"

"Can't you hear it?!" Will asked, now trembling.

Venus stood up straight and listened for anything besides the soft snoring coming from her room.

 _"Jubb! Jubb! Jubb!"_

"There! That! Please tell me you heard it!" Will was practically shouting by now. Venus grabbed Will by the shoulder, pulling him into the cabin and shut the door behind him. "You heard it, right?! Tell me you heard it!" He cried.

Dr. Smith stirred in bed, "Venus, dearest...what's...what's going on?"

"Dr. Smith, wake up!" Will shouted, running to his side and pulling on his arm. Startled, Smith sat up in bed and eyed both of them suspiciously.

 _"Jubb! Jubb! Jubb!"_

"My stars, what is that?" Venus asked with fear rising in her throat.

"Oh dear...not again!" Smith cried

"You hear it! You both hear it! I'm not going crazy!" Will yelled somewhat relieved.

"What am I hearing, Will? _What is that sound_?" Venus demanded.

"Those...birds...dark birds or bats...those awful flying things that cry like that," Dr. Smith sad getting out of bed and wringing his hands nervously. Venus and Will looked at him with wide-eyed confusion. "I'll show you..." he said and motioned for them to follow. Quickly tip-toeing through the Jupiter 2, he lead them to a port window.

"Dr. Smith, what are we-" Will asked.

"Just wait William," He interrupted.

 _"Jubb! Jubb! Jubb!"_

Three or four dark spiky blurs zipped by the window and around the camp base at incredible speeds. The three of the gasped in fear and grabbed at one another for comfort.

"What are they?!" Will asked, clutching Venus by the forearm.

"I don't know..." Smith whined, "But I know they can't get inside!"

"You've seen them before?" Venus asked, "Why didn't you say anything to anyone about this, Zachary?"

"I didn't think anyone would believe me...I thought that perhaps my mind may well be...I mean, at my age...slipping a little." Smith said softly with humiliation painting his face.

"Oh Zachary..." She found his hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

 _"Jubb! Jubb! Jubb!"_

"I want a closer look," Will said and ran for the entrance to the ship.

"No Will!" The Doctors shouted after him in unison.


	6. Chapter 6

"What...in the name of creation is going on?" Don said half awake, stepping outside of his family's cabin. Across the hall, Penelope sleepily peered out of her room, also woken by the ruckus. At that moment, Will rushed down the hall past them. "Will?! What-" Don said, caught off guard. Not too far behind Will were the Doctors.

"Major! Stop William before he opens the hatch!" Smith shouted. Don lurched into motion, chasing after Will and catching up with him as he reached the ship's front entrance. But it was too late, Will had already opened the hatch and the flying menaces had invited themselves inside.

Swooping down at Will and Don, the men dove flat on their bellies to avoid collision. "Get down!" Don shouted to Smith and Coagula, who flattened themselves against the wall.

"What's happening?" Penelope cried from behind a cracked door.

"Stay in your room, dear!" Venus called out trying to sound calm.

John Robinson barreled out of his room in his bathrobe with a cross expression across his unshaven face. "Alright!" He barked, "What's going on out here?!"

"Look out, Dad!" Will shouted from the floor.

"Will? Don? What are you doing on the floor?" He asked angrily. Suddenly the blurred invaders swarmed over the Professor, aiming themselves to attack. Dr. Smith grabbed John by the shoulder and pulled him against the wall too. "What the hell is that?!" He demanded. The things looped around, combining into 1 solid form and swooped over Don and Will again before hanging in midair for all to see. They or it...were not... _anything_! Just a blur of black undulating energy or a shadow of indeterminable size and nameless shape.

"My stars!" Venus half whispered in amazement. Suddenly it shrieked out a high-toned clatter of noise. Shrill gibberish in which only one syllable stood out, "Jubb!"

Mrs. Robinson reeled out of the hallway with one of Will's old baseball bats, swinging madly at the shadow. It bounced and rolled around the room trying to avoid Maureen's advances. The being then split into three smaller versions of itself and one by one, they darted out the open hatch and into the night. In a flash Don smacked the close button and the door sealed after them.

* * *

"Dr. Smith, you claim to have seen those things before?" The Professor asked while pouring the Doctor a cup of coffee. He was seated in the galley between Venus and Maureen. The Professor, Major West, and Will sleepily lounged about the room. None had the nerve to go back to sleep after the invaders had vanished. Dr. Smith gratefully accepted the coffee with trembling hands, half from exhaustion and half old age.

"Correct Professor, I believe my beauty sleep has been disturbed by them twice before."

"Why didn't you tell anyone, Smith?" Don demanded.

"I have nightmares of specters nearly every night, Major. Half the time they pull me out of bed and well, I thought they were just figments of my imagination."

"Hell of an imagination..." Don muttered.

Venus sneered at Don from across the room and comfortingly put her hand on Dr. Smith's. He suddenly stood at the table in a hostile rush with his knuckles turning white.

"Indeed! It is no secret that I am...growing older...how can one trust their own judgement on whether or not their mind is slipping? I knew no one would believe me about the things I see and hear at night and I'm not ready to be treated like and invalid with a plaque ridden brain!"

An awkward hush fell on the room. Of all the serious conversations held over the years in regards to survival, the subject of old age was never put on the table. Dr. Smith sighed, slightly embarrassed by his outburst and slunk back into his chair.

"Imagine my surprise when I discovered you all could see them as well..."

"I'm sorry, Dr. Smith, it's my fault!" Will broke the silent tension, "Dad, those things woke me up so I woke up Dr. Smith. He showed them to me through the port and I accidentally let them in. I didn't think they were real-I've been having bad dreams and seeing things at night too. I'm sorry everybody..." Will lamented, dipping his head in remorse.

"It's alright son. We all might be out of sorts from lack of sleep but no one was hurt. I just wish you and Dr. Smith had told someone about these night terrors." The Professor said with a reassuring smile.

"John, do you think this is related to the incident at the bluffs?" Maureen asked.

"Possibly. We ought to arrange an exploratory hike to get to the bottom of this. Smith? Don? Will? You fellas up for an excursion?"

"Count me in Professor Robinson," Venus chimed in.

"Me too," Maureen added.

"No, I need you both here in the event that anything happens with Judy's condition or the children. We'll take the robot and depart in the late afternoon." John instructed.

"That'll only give us a few hours of daylight," Major West interjected.

"Exactly. Gentlemen prepare for a camp out."

* * *

Judy had been ordered to stay in bed for the remainder of her pregnancy by the Doctors. Maureen and Penelope had set her up comfortably in the West family cabin while Venus entertained her children.

"With the boys away for the night we'll have our own sleepover!" Venus beamed while combing Jenny's hair.

"Oh Venus, I don't want to put anyone out. Besides, I'm sure you and mother would much rather enjoy sprawling in an empty bed for a change," Judy said with a giggle.

"Don't be silly Judy, it's no trouble at all," Maureen said folding blankets. "And for the record I don't sleep so well without your father around."

Penelope dragged an old steamer trunk to Judy's bedside to clear a footpath for a few fold-away cots. Accidentally she tripped over one of Johnny's toys and upset the trunk, spilling its contents all along the floor.

"Are you okay, dear?" Venus asked, helping Penelope clean up the mess.

"I'm fine...but what is all of this junk?" Penelope asked her sister. Strewn along the room were tons of old books, magazines, and comics.

"Don's private library. When I first found them, I suspected a stash of girly literature," Judy smirked. "But not _my husband_... it's all science fiction this and super powers that..."

Flipping through a magazine Penelope mockingly recited an advertisement, "In just seven days I can make you a _man_..." She gave her sister a grin and suggestive eyebrow, sending them both into a fit of giggles. Venus picked up a magazine and stared with eyes the size of quarters. The color drained from her and her heart hammered away in her chest.

"Oh my stars..." She gasped.

"What's wrong, Venus?" Penelope asked, kneeling across from her. Venus turned the magazine around to face the young woman. Her expression twisted in fear and confusion.

"Mother!" Penelope cried, snatching the magazine and jumping to her feet. "Look!"

Maureen studied the cover in her daughter's hand. It depicted a gnarled orange cyclops rising out of a black swamp. "I don't understand, honey.." Maureen said, concerned. Searching Penelope's face, she saw tears streaking her cheeks.

"That's the thing that attacked us at the bluffs!"

* * *

The B9 Robot patrolled the campsite under the bluffs. Slowly rolling through the long bluegrass, sensors at full capacity to attempt to recapture the red light scanner signals. Dr. Smith followed closely, staking off areas where it was the strongest with Professor Robinson tying them together and mapping points. Major West and Will had finished unloading the chariot and approached the Professor.

"Well...what do you think, John?" West asked.

"We've squared off the whole area," He gestured with a wave of his hand. "There's a pattern that I just can't distinguish...it resembles a..."

"A tomb, Professor," Dr. Smith declared while dramatically dropping the remaining stakes. "And I shall require one if we do not cease the night, immediately!" He rubbed his lower back and added an exaggerated grimace. John and Don chuckled at the old man's complaints, right on schedule.

"Alright Smith, let's throw in the towel," The Professor said.

* * *

Once a heavy darkness had fallen on the campsite, Major West and Dr. Smith lounged around the fire. The Professor poured over his notes, poking around the staked off points and Will sat in the chariot, reading by generator light.

The silence between Smith and West was thick and Don kept trying to initiate conversation.

"Nice weather tonight, huh?" He asked softly. Smith only nodded in response. "How much longer do you think Judy has?"

Smith sighed, "My guess is another two weeks but Dr. Coagula believes any day now."

"Oh...what do you think the baby will be?"

"There's no sure fire way to tell. Even if there was, would you really want to ruin the surprise?" Smith asked.

"No...I suppose not..." Don muttered.

"Is there something on your mind, Major?"

"I'm just worried. A family of three so suddenly in this unforgiving universe, danger lurking at every turn...it keeps me up at night, you know?"

"Major West, let me tell you something...that feeling will never go away. In the time I have been with the Robinson family, I have worried myself white about their children," He paused to run a hand through his snowy hair. "When something that innocent and pure of heart trusts you...even if _you're_ the one getting them in trouble...you will never stop worrying. Just as I worry about your children now."

Don smirked at one of the doctor's rare moments of humility. "Smith...Dr. Smith, I'm sorry for what I said about you yesterday, I was just upset. You would have been a great father."

"Oh no, don't apologize! Enduring the poisonous barbs of Major Don West was well worth watching my wife 'clean your clock' as they say!" Smith remarked while crawling into his sleeping bag.

"Hell of a left hook she has..." Don said smiling to himself.

"Goodnight Major West," Dr. Smith bellowed while rolling his back to the pilot.

"Goodnight Smith," Don responded, crawling into his own sleeping bag. "Wait, did you say _wife_?" He asked suddenly.

"I said goodnight, Major!" Smith shouted over his shoulder.


	7. Chapter 7

Will snapped awake from a cramp in his leg. Looking around half dazed, he found himself sitting in The Chariot with his book in his lap. His father and the others were balled up in their sleeping bags, placed strategically around a smoldering camp fire. With the Robot nearby standing on alert, Will grabbed his sleeping bag and wiggled into it between Don and Dr. Smith. Just as he felt himself fall away from consciousness an unworldly screech echoed through the camp waking the four men up.

"DANGER! DANGER!" The Robot alerted. Don and The Professor grabbed their pistols and looked around incredulously for the unseen hazard. A hot sour wind fell on their camp followed by another screech that froze the blood in their veins. From the darkness beamed two green eyes. They were fierce like a caged falcon teased beyond endurance.

"Take cover in The Chariot!" The Professor ordered while aiming between the evil eyes. The men scrambled out of their thermal blankets and into the vehicle by the time he had fired, prompting another screech.

The hidden menace flapped into view as a massive bird landed on the roof of The Chariot. Or rather, it would have been a bird were it not for flesh and face of a woman from the waist up. Its skin was a milky white opal and long black hair framed the human features. Dirty brown feathers jutted in sharp angles from its shoulders to its scaly claws. The hideous beast unfolded its wings with a splitting noise like distant lightning as the claws tightened their grip on The Chariot. It rocked the vehicle back and forth, trying to shake the four of them loose. The men clung tenaciously to The Chariot's fixtures to keep from violently pin-balling off the sides. Pistols clattered out of reach along with other loose items.

Dr. Smith wailed in terror after nearly being flung out the open side door. Luckily Major West grabbed a hold of the old man by his leg and pulled him back in. "Do something you cowardly contraption!" He called to the Robot. One step ahead, The Robot had been charging its defense cell and gave the harpy a powerful zotz right in the chest. The monster flapped in protest and ceased rocking The Chariot. She let out one last angry caw before freezing in place. The Chariot slumped back into resting position as the harpy depixelated into a static nothing and vanished completely.

"Just like before!" Will exclaimed from the floor of The Chariot. "It stopped moving and disappeared like the thing in the swamp did!" Don and The Professor climbed out of the vehicle for more solid ground while Smith lie on his back dramatically groaning.

"Robot," John called out as he re-combobulated himself. "Were your sensors running during the attack?"

"AFFIRMATIVE, PROFESSOR ROBINSON. RED LIGHT SCANNER SIGNAL INCREASED IN ACTIVITY AT THE 7-L POINT," The Robot boomed. The Professor grabbed his notes and located the stake marking the 7-L point on he map.

"What does it all mean, John?" Don asked, fumbling to strap his pistol back on his hip. John stared at his map for a moment, brow furrowed in frustration.

"It means we dig."

* * *

Penelope stared at the comic rendering of the monster that had terrorized her and the children a few days ago. She flipped through the magazine's faded pages over and over, rereading the story that accompanied the art. Sitting on the floor next to her was Dr. Coagula, rummaging through Major West's footlocker of comics and books. The whole collection was dumped on the ground as she rifled through. Finally Penelope frisbee'd the magazine away from her and sighed in exasperation.

"Just like it really happened...came out of a black swamp and was terrified of fire..." She said looking down at Venus.

"Ha!" Venus shouted, holding up a book and scrambling to get to her feet. "Maureen, look!" Mrs. Robinson had been trying to radio her husband all morning with no luck. "What do you see?" Venus asked, handing her the novel.

She studied the cover carefully before looking back at Coagula in confusion, "A woman floating in space and some black blobs?"

Venus nodded, "Black blobs, exactly! Like the ones that attacked the other night."

"I don't understand what's happening around here or why I can't get the men on the radio!" Maureen declared, wringing her hands.

"Mother!" Judy cried from the other room.

The 2 women exchanged wide eyed expressions before dashing off to Judy's room with Penelope following.

* * *

Dr. Smith had been tinkering with the radio in The Chariot all morning. There had been a considerable amount of damage after the incident with the harpy the night before. Major West and Will were digging in the 7-L spot marked on the maps The Professor had drawn up.

"How's the radio coming, Dr. Smith?" John called over. He had been monitoring the Robot's sensors as Will and Don dug deeper into the ground.

"I do believe there is a part missing, Professor. I've scoured every cubic inch of The Chariot and it is nowhere to be seen." Smith said, pushing a pair of magnifying glasses up on his forehead.

"Well, check around the outside. Maybe it was shaken out altogether."

"Very well," The Doctor replied and stepped out of the vehicle to search the ground.

"How much deeper, Dad?" Will asked exhausted. Both he and Don had stripped off their tunics and stood sweating and covered in the earth of a 6 foot deep hole.

"The signal gets stronger the deeper you go," The Professor remarked, not looking up from his notes. "Keep digging until you find something."

A fair amount of debris was scattered on the outside of The Chariot. Though tired, Smith concentrated on sifting through all of it, in hopes of finding the radio's missing component. Camping supplies, tools, star maps...The Doctor suddenly spied something metallic glinting light. He stooped to better examine it but his attention was drawn to a book lying in the dust. It was beaten and torn, lying open. Smith scooped it up and realized it was the book that Will had been reading the night before. He wouldn't have given it a second thought were it not for the bizarre fantasy artwork on the cover. "Professor! Professor Robinson!" Dr. Smith clamored in a panic.

"What is it Smith? Did you find the part?" John asked as the old man ran towards him. Unable to find his words, Smith thrust the book into John's hands and pointed at the cover. It depicted a primitive looking warrior with a large knife drawn in preparation for a duel with a harpy in mid-flight. The same exact harpy that had attacked them the night before.


	8. Chapter 8

"Mother, where is Don? And Dr. Smith? Where's Daddy?" Judy panted with tears starting to well up in her eyes. Maureen pet her daughter's hair and did her best to flash a reassuring smile.

"They're on their way, sugar! Don't you worry about the boys, they'll make it in time!" Dr. Coagula lied with saccharine inflection. This seemed to please Judy and she resumed her focus on breathing to ease her discomfort. Venus led Maureen out of earshot and whispered in a low tone, "Keep her calm for the time being, I'll get my faculties together and prepare to deliver myself."

Maureen nodded and watched as Penelope brought Jenny and Johnny to their mother's bedside. "Is the BB ready yet, Mommy?" Jenny asked as Aunt Penelope sat her on the bed.

"Almost angel," Judy said with a pained smile.

Maureen turned backed to Venus, "Are you sure you can handle this by yourself?"

"I don't reckon we have much of a choice, Mrs. Robinson..." Venus sighed.

* * *

"John! Come quick!" Major West called from the trench. John Robinson scrambled to the dig site and into the hole with his son and pilot. "We've hit something," Don said tapping the blade of his shovel on the hard surface under their feet. John dropped to his knees and began brushing dirt away to reveal a large white pod. Dull fixtures were embedded in its surface, ripe with buttons and levers long since burned out. "What the hell is it?" Don asked.

"A sarcophagus, Major..." Dr. Smith said from the surface. "You're all standing in a grave."

"What?!" Will exclaimed, backing against the wall of the hole. "Let me out of here!" He reached up to Dr. Smith for a hand climbing out.

Don chuckled as Smith pulled Will up, "Relax Will, the dead can't hurt you."

"Just the same, Don...I don't exactly _dig_ graves," He said with a shudder.

"Will, run to The Chariot and grab the sync cables for the Robot, please?" John asked his son.

"Sure dad."

Will returned quickly and hooked one end to the Robot's control panel and tossed the slack down to The Professor. "Look, Dr. Smith," Will said holding up a small piece of metal. "Is this the piece you were looking for?"

"Ah! Bless your eyes, William!" Smith beamed, taking the metal fragment. "Indeed it is! Now I shall get our radio in tip top shape!"

"Say 'hello' to the girls for me!" Don shouted to Dr. Smith as he made his way back to The Chariot.

After a few minutes of tinkering, Professor Robinson had the Robot hooked up to the pod. "Okay Will...activate his translator reel," He instructed. The 3 men waited with baited breath for the analysis.

"ANCIENT SARCOPHAGUS OF THE JIREL RACE. FUNERARY CUSTOMS DICTATE EACH DECEDENT IS PLACED IN THE ETERNITY POD WHICH IS EQUIPPED WITH A RED LIGHT SCANNER. BEREAVED JIREL EMIT DELTA WAVES WHILE MOURNING, SERVING AS INPUT FOR THE SCANNERS TO PROCESS AND PROJECT PHOTON HOLOGRAMS."

"What kind of way is that to remember the deceased?! Torture the living with realistic holograms of the dead?!" Don exclaimed with a tinge of disgust.

"What's this got to do with us, Dad?" Will asked, sitting on the ledge of the trench.

"Our brains emit delta waves when we sleep. You and Dr. Smith have slept in this area at one point or another and were scanned. I suspect all those sci-fi books you've been reading are getting dragged into the mix, like the harpy last night." The Professor explained.

"Hold on a minute, John. You and I slept here last night. Anyone of these robot coffins could have scanned us," Don butted in.

"All of these burial plots are on a linked circuit , if we can overload them they'll burn out and stop invading our dreams."

"The Robot! Dad, I can redirect some wires and use his defense cells to fry these Eternity Pods!" Will suggested.

"Major! Major West!" Dr. Smith shouted from The Chariot, "You're about to be a father again! I highly suggest we return to camp immediately!"

"We can't finish this now, lets go!" Don insisted, hoisting himself out of the hole.

"Don, we've been scanned, you said it yourself! We're risking another attack if we don't handle this now." The Professor Protested.

Don dropped back into the hole to face him, "John, this is Judy we're talking about. My wife and your daughter and we're are not missing the birth of my 3 child. So let's go!" He commanded sternly.

"You guys go, I can finish this on my own, " Will said quickly.

John looked hesitantly at his son and then at Don, knowing that this was the only option.

Dr. Smith was lying on The Chariot's horn, "I will leave the lot of you!"

John Robinson smirked, "I think he's serious, let's go..."

Both men climbed out of the hole and jogged to The Chariot to join the impatient Doctor.

* * *

"Are you ready to be a big brother, Johnny?" Penelope cooed to her nephew as she wiped his hands and face. The little boy yawned and slowly blinked his eyes. Mrs. Robinson had requested that Penelope take her grandchildren outside while she and Dr. Coagula tended to Judy.

After a quick snack, the children had wound down for nap time. Jenny had already drifted off to Dreamland and swayed in Doctor Smith's hammock. Johnny was soon to follow and snuggled in next to his sister. Excitement rippled through Penelope. Making her stomach flip flop in anticipation of a new baby. Also it helped forget about the queerness of literary villains coming to life. She relaxed in the shade with her diary in her lap and jotted down thoughts on all the events of the past few days.

In the distance, a rhythmic clicking sound emanated. Penelope looked up but saw only the conical cups of weeds growing on the border of camp. The clicking grew louder and from multiple sources, beating in time like some kind of signal. Penelope stood up and walked to the flora perimeter, looking blankly over the tops of the thicket of weeds. The clicking intensified yet nothing stirred in her field of vision.

Shrugging with indifference, Penelope turned back to rejoin the children asleep in the hammock when something whizzed past her face. There was an audible crack of wind as it nearly missed her. She spun around to see the funnel-like plant formations sway back and forth. The woody boles they grew from and leathery sprays of leaves moved out of the brush walking on exposed three-pronged roots. Penelope backed up, gaping in terror as the plants slowly made their way towards her. In a flash, she rushed to the children and slung them over her shoulders. Each plant had three bare sticks growing parallel to their stems and they clicked them together menacingly as they neared the Jupiter 2. Penelope ran aboard the ship with the children and closed the hatch. Looking out of the port, she gasped in horror as several dozens of the strange plants flooded the camp.


	9. Chapter 9

With much chagrin, Will lowered himself back into the grave to sort out the cables. He fumbled in the ancient grime to locate the control panel's release hatch on the lid of The Eternity pod. Wandering hands found a lever on the side, half submerged in dirt. Giving it a yank, a cloud of dust blasted into Will's face followed by the stale stench of decay.

"Oh hell..." He muttered while waving his arms to clear the air. It became clear to him that he would have to open the sarcophagus.

* * *

By the time The Chariot had made it back to camp, the area was choked with the walking plants. They crowded at the entrance ramp to the Jupiter 2 and began clicking loudly and waddling towards the Chariot.

"Oh what fresh hell is this?" Dr. Smith said impatiently.

"Triffids..." Don muttered, grabbing the radio speaker. "Hello Jupiter 2, this is The Chariot, come in..."

"Don?" Penelope sniffed on the end of the line, she had been crying.

The Professor grabbed the radio from Don, "Penelope are you alright? Where is everyone?"

"Daddy? I'm alright, everyone is okay. Where are you?" She asked tearfully.

"We're out front in The Chariot, how is Judy doing?"

"What? You're breaking up..."

Don grabbed the radio again, "How is Judy, Penelope?"

"Dr. Coagula needs Dr. Smith, she-"

There was a sound of breaking glass and Penelope screamed.

"Hello? Hello? Penelope?" Don shouted frantically before turning to John. "They must have gotten in."

"They are about to get in here too..." Dr. Smith said nervously, pointing at the pile of triffids pressing themselves against the Chariot's glass. The tightly wrapped whorls inside the plant funnels violently whipped at the windows, smudging them with venom.

"How did this happen? We're all conscious?!" Don shouted while unholstering his pistol.

"The children! They've napped with me in the bluffs before, they might have been scanned as well!" Dr. Smith declared.

"Don, that pistol won't do any good," The Professor said

"Then what do you suggest, John?!" Major West snapped.

"Just calm down, we will figure something out..."

* * *

Penelope was crouched in the utility closet with Jenny and Johnny. She rocked Jenny in her arms to try and keep her from crying. Johnny slapped his little hands against the door, shouting his nonsense at the clicking monsters that kept running into it.

Penelope's legs were starting to cramp from the lack of space and she sweat profusely from the dark stagnant air.

"Shh shh, it will be okay honey..." She whispered to her niece, hoping it was the truth.

* * *

Will begrudgingly pulled the lid off of The Eternity pod and the aroma of rot grew stronger. Once the crypt dust had settled, the pod's occupant became visible. Will covered his eyes and took a deep breath to center himself. Finally he peered into the pod and saw a wrinkled brown mass, vaguely human shaped. Will stuck his head in to get a better look and giggled. The mummy kind of resembled a scarecrow. His hands ran along the inside of the sarcophagus lid until they found a panel that would give him access to the motherboard.

* * *

"Okay Smith...back it in slowly," The Professor instructed. Slowly the Chariot moved through a sea of stinging Triffids, crushing them under its weight. Dr. Smith maneuvered the vehicle up on the entrance ramp at an angle.

"Let me go first," Don insisted. Without protest, Dr. Smith slid out of the way so don could be the one to open the door.

The vehicle's angle was just so the drivers door could open against the ship's entrance without letting the plants in. Don slid out of the vehicle and into the tiny triangle of space with a pry bar. Jamming the tool between the ship's steel doors, he pried the entrance open and shimmied inside the Jupiter 2.

"Let me go next," The Professor said, starting for the door.

"No," Dr. Smith said sternly. "I need to reach Judith and the Major can get me there. Follow-up the rear, Professor and find Penelope."

John was taken aback by Doctor Smith's forceful directions but nodded understandingly. Carefully Smith slipped out the driver's door and into the ship, followed by Professor Robinson with a machete.


	10. Chapter 10

*SHWIPP*

Major West sliced the conical cup off the top of a triffid. "How..." He remarked in wonder. "They've become tangible, I can slice right through them..." He looked at the pry-bar in his hand, as if it held the answer.

The Jupiter 2 was in disarray, broken glass littered the floors along with bright green plant matter. Triffids staggered about the upper deck, slumping over and bleeding chlorophyll profusely as Don ran them through. Professor Robinson hacked through a few triffids himself. One so violently that green matter sprayed in Dr. Smith's direction. The Good Doctor wretched at the splatter but remained composed, smoothing out his tunic.

"I don't understand how out-dated light particles can wreak so much havoc!" Don shouted angrily as more triffids waddled towards them.

"The thing in the swamp snapped trees and the harpy nearly scrambled our eggs...maybe they're getting stronger?" The Professor offered, following Smith as they made their way towards sickbay.

"That's...ridiculous!" Don grunted with a violent swing of his pry-bar.

"Perhaps the red light scanners are not as antiquated as we thought, they may produce stronger holograms with the more delta waves they're fed." Dr. Smith added.

"Delightful," Don groaned. "A nocturnal all-you-can-eat buffet!"

* * *

"Ughh...barf!" Will wretched with his fingers tangled in a mess of wires. "No offense Mister...but you stink!" He withdrew his hands from the pod's hatch to engage in a sneezing fit for the third time.

"BLESS YOU, WILL ROBINSON," The Robot droned above him on solid ground.

"Thanks..." He muttered before thrusting his hands back in the hatch. After rummaging for a bit he singled in on one particular wire and pulled on the slack to bring it to his face for closer inspection. "I can't tell which wire it is," Will sighed in frustration. "Their technology makes no sense to me."

"LIKE YOUR FATHER SAYS, ALIENS ARE ALIEN..." The Robot boomed.

"Ha ha..." Will rolled his eyes.

* * *

Judy's moans of agony became audible from the lower deck as the men hacked their way through the hostile flora. An accession of triffids had fallen down the elevator shaft and knotted in a squirming heap in front of sickbay. Several were ramming there woody stumps against the doors.

"John help me clear these bastards so Smith can get in there!" Don barked. The Professor and Major West swung their weapons with such ferocity they covered themselves in chlorophyll slime. Smith idled at a safe distance behind them, on the lookout and nervously twiddling his thumbs. Distressed clicking erupted behind him and he turned in time to see a plant fall down the shaft. It rolled on the floor for a moment before jumping to its roots and waddling towards Dr. Smith.

"Oh dear..." He said softly, looking around his immediate environment for something to wield. A long shard of glass caught his eye near his feet. Tearing a strip of fabric from his tunic, he wrapped the wider end of the glass and tried to position the weapon comfortably in his hand. When the triffid was close enough, Smith awkwardly swiped at its cone like a cat reaching for string. The poisonous funnel flopped on the floor and oozed plant pulp.

"Smith!" The Professor called to him. Confidently, The Doctor stood up straight and smiled at his victory before noticing the entrance to sickbay had been cleared. Four more triffids fell down the shaft, followed by another three. Smith let out a yelp and ran for the doors, dropping his weapon. Don and John began swinging wildly at the creatures while Dr. Smith banged against the sickbay doors. More and more plants fell down the elevator shaft and came after them. Maureen opened the doors and the three flooded in as the triffid numbers became oppressive again.

* * *

Jenny and Johnny sat in there aunt's lap, half dazed like frightened rabbits. Almost catatonic as they waited for whatever came next. Penelope was looking around the utility closet for something to use against the triffids. It was hot and cramped and she was tired of waiting for Doom to claim them all. She found an old cross country ski pole that the Jupiter 2's polymer printer had synthesized for her and Will years ago when they last inhabited a planet with Earth-like seasons.

"Good enough..." She muttered to herself. Penelope packed up the kids wrapping them in heavy blanket in the back of the closet. "Jenny, I am going to get help. You and your brother have to stay hidden, can you do that? Can you stay put?" Penelope asked the little girl. "Please? Stay here and protect Johnny?" Jenny said nothing but nodded with a finger in her mouth. "Okay good, it will be over soon. I promise."

Penelope began stacking various items around the children's hiding spot. "Okay babies, stay put! Auntie Penelope loves you!" She said wiping a tear away. Gripping her ski pole, she took a deep breath before opening the door to face a mob of triffids.

* * *

"Keep her calm, Major. Don't say anything that might upset her..." Dr. Coagula whispered to Don before he could reach Judy. He nodded solemnly and proceeded to her bedside as Venus joined Dr. Smith.

"What is the status?" He asked stoically, furiously scrubbing his forearms in the sanitary sink.

Coagula gave him a grave look, "Breech...I'm worried the cord may be wrapped around the neck and I don't know how to proceed."

"Have you given Judith anything for pain?" Venus shook her head 'no' as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Administer general anesthesia, cesarean is our only option." Dr. Coagula nodded obediently and departed.

The triffids had begun throwing their weight into the sickbay doors. Each stump shaking the framework with impact and loosening its hinges. "They'll beat in the door!" The Professor remarked as he and Maureen pushed back to prevent a collapse. "Don, give us a hand!" Major West gave his wife one last kiss as her sedative kicked in and joined his in-laws.

"Move her to quarantine!" Smith shouted over the hoopla. The Doctors wheeled Judy into a smaller room behind glass doors for an added defense barrier as they prepared for emergency surgery.


	11. Chapter 11

Penelope pressed her shoulder against the closet door and heaved it open with all of her weight, sending triffids rolling on their roots in all directions. Slipping out the door and slamming it shut, she swung her ski pole in a wide arc in front of her. Plant funnels flopped on the floor from the front line, squirting chlorophyll. More triffids swarmed Penelope, stamping on the woody boles of fallen brethren. With another wide swing and wave of venom cups severed, she ran to lead them away from the closet. Breaking for the elevator, a particularly thick vine lashed out and grabbed her ankle. She tried to kick herself free at first, while slashing at other plants that came too close. Twisting her trunk and swinging at the restraining vine, another coiled around the ski pole and pulled it from her grip. The vine on her ankle pulled her to the floor and dragged her straight into a writhing mass of triffids. Smaller specimens clicked anxiously as she slid along the floor, parting to reveal an abnormally large triffid. Its vines surged forward, binding her legs and pinning her arms down. Lumbering over to her and curling vines around the back of her head, the triffid arched its funnel closer to her face. She strained to keep her flesh from touching the sticky reserves of venom that spiraled into the center of the cone. Yet her fearful resistance was not enough and slowly the sweet face of Penelope Robinson inched closer to becoming triffid food.

* * *

Anything of moderate size or weight that was not nailed down was dragged to the sickbay exit. Don and The Professor stacked what few cumbersome items there were to keep the triffids out. "How is it coming in there?!" Major West yelled in the direction of the surgery. Judy was no longer visible from outside of Quarantine. Her delicate frame was cloaked in a series of antimicrobial surgery shrouds and both doctors were now masked figures, hovering over her. Dr. Smith held up a solitary finger without turning around. It was a gesture he often used as a stern warning to others (usually Don) to stifle themselves when he was trying to concentrate. Don frowned at Smith's response and thought of a finger he would like to give back to the grumpy old man.

The triffids had not relented for a moment, thumping the door with every ounce of their fibrous structures. The Robinsons and Major West were quickly approaching exhaustion by barricading the doors with their own weight, when Dr. Coagula cried out, "It's a boy!"

All spun around to see Dr. Smith pull a crying baby out of the surgery tent while Venus unraveled the umbilical cord from around him. Another miracle of life brightening the darkest corners of the uncharted universe. Don forgot himself in a moment of joy and walked to the windows to get a better look at his youngest son. He placed a hand on the glass and grinned as Dr. Coagula held the wailing infant up and pointed to Don, as if introducing him.

"Don!" The Professor hollered as the triffids pushed even harder. The sickbay doors cracked and splintered, rendering the makeshift barricades useless. Maureen snapped the leg off of a chair to wield against the plants as The Professor picked his machete back up. Triffids poured into sickbay, clicking stems and lashing venomous whorls hungrily. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson wasted no time in slashing furiously at the invaders to keep them away from Quarantine. Don pulled a metal drawer out of a toppled file cabinet and swung on the waddling plants that were not skewered by the Robinsons. The triffid numbers were too many for the three of them and the room was quickly overwhelmed. Retreat was the only option, yet there was nowhere to go.

* * *

Will slit the gray casing on a coax cable with his pocket knife and stripped it away from the alloyed fibers he needed. With a small pair of needle-nose pliers, he twisted them to the frayed end of the cables wired to the robots defense cell. He wiped beads of perspiration and dust across his forehead and let out an exhausted sigh, "If this doesn't work then I do not know what will..." Will stood upright and stretched his back, tight from a long day of digging and hunching over a coffin. He took his time climbing out of the grave and examined the position of the sun, wondering how long he had been at it.

"SHALL I CHARGE UP MY DEFENSE CELLS?" The Robot asked.

"Just a second..." Will responded before swapping his power pack out with a fresh one. "Okay Robot, charge the cells and when I give you the word, fire them off."

The Robot's bubble dropped down as if he were concentrating and a faint humming noise vibrated in its hull. Will could feel the heat coming off of the Robot as the cells charged to full capacity.

"READY WHEN YOU ARE, WILL ROBINSON!"

"Okay let her rip!" Will said excitedly.

"STAND BACK!" The Robot boomed over the crackle of 30,000 volts idling in its defense cells.

The connecting cables jerked and sparked as the electricity shot through them. Smoke began seeping from the eternity pod's control panel and increasing the stench of decay. After a loud pop and small shower of sparks, it was over. Will reached over to unhook the cables from the robot but they were hot to the touch.

"ALLOW ME," The Robot offered, snatching up the cables in its claw and unhooking them from its own chest.

"Well, that ought to do it...let me just put the lid back on the sarcophagus and we can head back to camp." Will said climbing back into the grave. Hopefully it would be the last time.

* * *

In the blink of an eye, Penelope went from staring into the toothy maw of the giant triffid to a blurred nothing. Finding her arms and legs once again free, she jumped to her feet and snapped her head around. It was all gone, no more triffids choking the ship with their vines, no more clicking stems and ravenous conical reserves of poison. Debris from their rampage and splattered chlorophyll still lingered but for now, it was over. Penelope hyperventilated for a moment before bursting into laughter. Her chest contracting in hysterics, she fell to her knees covered slime and tears running down her face. She counted her blessings as that _Robinson Luck_ had saved her life yet again.

* * *

The Robinsons and Major West stood on alert after their own triffid problems had de-pixelated before their eyes. Bewilderment gripped them as they surveyed the damage that sickbay had endured.

"He did it! Will pulled it off!" Professor Robinson declared proudly.

"What a kid you got there, John!" Major West said with a relieved smile.

"Will did what? What happened?" Maureen asked John.

"Oh I'll explain later, let's go meet our new grandson!"

"Ah ah!" Venus said coming out of Quarantine. "You three need to clean this...green stuff off of you before any contact with the newborn." Don and his in-laws happily complied with Coagula's request as she retrieved the new addition to the family.

A short while later Major Donald West was admiring the wonder of holding his third child after an epic battle with alien technology just moments ago. Dr. Smith finally emerged from Quarantine looking exhausted. Don handed his son to an excited Maureen and John.

"Can I see Judy now?" He asked

"Well just a moment Major..."

"Yeah yeah we've been through this twice before. I understand she's worn out..." Don waved Smith off and started for the Quarantine doors.

"Hold on Major," Smith said putting his hands up.

"Hold on what? Where's my wife? I want to see Judy!" Major West continued looking past Smith through the glass doors.

"Major, no."

"Come on Smith, move over!" Don tried to sidestep the Doctor who continued to pivot himself in the Pilot's way.

"Major...Major..." Dr. Smith persisted.

"What's the big idea Smith? Move!"

"DON!" Smith shouted. Startled, Major West almost didn't recognize his first name coming from Smith's mouth. The old man had always been so formal. The Doctor took a deep breath, "There were complications from the cesarean, we're trying to stabilize her now."

Venus walked up to the men and snapped her gloves off, "She is going to need a transfusion, there was a lot of blood loss."

"Well do it then!" Don said rolling up his sleeve.

"You are not a match, Major..." Smith said in a cool voice trying to prevent him from panicking.

"Well who is?!"

"I am," Venus offered softly. Dr. Smith eyed her suspiciously for a moment before slipping a blood pressure cuff on her arm.

"You would do that for Judy?" Don asked Dr. Coagula. "For our family?"

"Of course, I'll be your type-O hero," She said with a tired smile.

Maureen stepped forward, "Venus are you sure? You've been on the go since the sun rose, you haven't eaten anything..." She paused to glance at Dr. Smith and lowered her voice, "And you look like you're dead on your feet..."

"And your blood pressure is dangerously low. You cannot do this." Smith added with serious baritone.

"I'm the only other type-O in camp. We don't have the luxury of passing due to a mild case of hypotension."

"Mild case?! You could go into cardiac arrest! I forbid it!" Smith bellowed aggressively. Coagula wretched in disgust while ripping the pressure cuff off.

"Can't you do anything?!" Don shouted.

"Just calm down Major West!" Smith chided, still trying to reason with Venus.

"Calm down?!" Don's voice cracked.

John stepped forward and placed a firm hand on his son-in-law's shoulder, "Now just think for a minute Don!" The Major was beginning to grow belligerent, bickering with his in-laws as Dr. Smith tried to keep things under control.

The Quarantine doors suddenly swished shut behind the four of them. They turned to see Dr. Coagula holding the small remote that locked the doors in her hand. A cold expressionless face blinked at them from behind the glass.

"No!" Smith shouted and slapped the glass doors. "You can't do this!"

"Doctor Coagula! Please don't, we'll find another way!" Maureen pleaded. "John can't you get her out of there!"

Venus rolled up her sleeve and cuffed her bicep single-handedly. She swabbed her arm after locating the vein and prepared instruments needed to withdraw blood.

"Dammit Venus! Think about what you are doing!" Smith shouted through the glass. Her head snapped to attention at his remark and she walked to the doors.

"Me? What I'm doing? You mean taking drastic, possibly foolish measures in spite of all odds to valiantly pull through at the absolutely last moment?" She asked while arching one eyebrow. "Well...I am a Smith, _aren't I_?" She said with a familiar oily smirk.

The Robinsons and Major West stopped at her words and stared questioningly at Dr. Smith. But the old doctor didn't notice, his eyes were locked with the woman on the other side of the glass as she inserted the cannula into her vein.


	12. Chapter 12

Will hurried back to camp, exhausted from his labors in a muggy grave all day. But the rush of excitement from successfully shorting out the eternity pods _and_ a new addition to the family carried him on, followed by the robot. When Will reached the homestead and saw the bedraggled condition it was in, his heart fell sick with worry. The outdoor dining table and hydroponic garden had been upturned and potting soil was strewn about. A putrid green sludge spackled the outside of the ship and The Chariot; which was still haphazardly parked on the ramp.

Will let out a low whistle and beckoned to the robot, "What do you make of all of this?" The Robot said nothing, perhaps in a state of wonder at the disaster area the Robinson camp had become.

Will headed to The Chariot and shimmied into the driver seat. He had a bit of difficulty seeing through the smudged glass, but was able to back it down the ramp with The Robot waving hooks to direct. As soon as the vehicle was parked, the ship's hatch opened and a dazed Penelope appeared. Her hair in tangles and uniform matted with slime, Will's neck prickled in gooseflesh thinking of the horrors his sister had endured to leave her in such a state. Disbelief bloomed in her face as well, once her glazed eyes focused on her brother. Rumpled, sweating and covered in mud; Will was also in rough shape.

The Robinson teens said nothing while taking in each other's sorry appearance before they suddenly spoke in unison, "What happened to you?"

"Grave digging..." Will said flatly.

"Triffids," Penelope dryly shot back.

The siblings giggled at the absurdity of it all before exchanging a hug of relief.

* * *

Will and Penelope followed a path of destruction to the lower deck with the West children in their arms. A great deal of shouting and rhythmic pounding echoed from Sickbay. Will carefully peeked his head in and found his mother swaddling a tiny bundle at a safe distance from the quarantine doors, where his father and brother-in-law noisily toiled.

"Mom?" Will asked softly, stepping into sickbay with Jenny.

Maureen turned and her face instantly flooded with relief and tears as Penelope and Johnny joined them. "Oh thank the Heavens you are all okay!" Jenny and Johnny craned their necks to see what their grandmother was holding. Maureen pulled back the blanket to reveal a perfectly pink face, squished up from exhaustion. "This is your new little brother, Joshua!" Penelope gushed over the infant while Jenny and Johnny cautiously peered down at him.

Will, however, was distracted by the men making an awful racket. Don and The Professor had utilized a steel instrument cart as a battering ram against the quarantine glass. Slightly out of direct view was a distraught Dr. Smith, beating his palms against the barrier and shouting.

"Open this door immediately!" He bellowed.

A cross looking Venus waved her hand dismissively on the other side and pointed a small remote at the sound system mounted on the wall. Classical Baroque music filled the Sickbay and drowned out Smith and the crashing against the quarantine door.

"What's happened?" Will asked, alarmed.

"The delivery was complicated and Judy needed a transfusion. Venus is the only match but she is in no condition to donate..." Maureen said quickly with worry etching lines under her eyes. "But she is proceeding anyway..."

The men put the metal cart down, accepting that it was no use. Yet Smith continue to pound on the glass and shout over the music. Professor Robinson put his hand on Smith's shoulder in a futile attempt to console him.

Smith turned sharply to shake him off, "Don't you understand, Professor? By locking herself away from us, Judith is in danger as well!"

"You need to calm down, Dr. Smith. We have to think of another way to get in there," John said.

"Wait! Dad!" Will called over, before setting Jenny down. "What about the medical master key?"

"The what?" Smith cried, on the verge of becoming hysterical.

"There are two master key cards for the Sickbay. They open all utility cabinets, med lockers... _and quarantine_."

"Yes, William! Yes! Where is it? Hurry! Tell me where to find it!" Smith pleaded, falling to his knees.

"I can't remember where Venus stashed it..." Will said flustered.

"I will bet anything that The Robot knows where the duplicate is..." Don stressed.

Smith jumped to his feet and shook his tensed hands, as if trying to squeeze information out of thin air, "Where is The Robot? Hurry!"

Movement in quarantine caught Will's eye and he looked past the frantic doctor in time to see Venus slump into the chair next to Judy's bed. "Venus!" Will gasped, prompting Smith to panic further.

"Someone help! Find The Robot!"

Professor Robinson and Major West resumed battering the shatterproof doors of quarantine while Will dashed out of Sickbay. He nearly tangled himself in the ladder climbing to the upper deck, where the classical music continued to echo over the commotion. He found The Robot where he had left him, in front of the Jupiter 2, trying to organize the damage the Triffids had caused.

"Robot, where is the medical master key Doctor Coagula hid for safekeeping?!"

"I CAN ONLY REVEAL THE LOCATION AT DOCTOR COAGULA'S REQUEST OR IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY," The Robot boomed.

"This is an emergency! Her and Judy's lives depend on it!"

The Robot's bubble shot up in alarm and a slim hatch on one of its side panels popped open. A small tray ejected, revealing the spare key card.

* * *

Smith exploded through the quarantine doors, followed by Maureen and Will. At Judy's bedside, Mrs. Robinson fumbled with IV tubes in preparation for administering the donated blood pack. Thankfully, Will had shut off the music that was only making everyone more tense. Maureen noticed a trickle of blood on the floor under Dr. Coagula's chair and gestured. Once Smith and Will took notice they heaved her limp body into a supine position to better examine her. Cold to the touch and sweaty, Venus's skin had taken on a gray hue and her left sleeve was soaked in her own blood.

"The damn fool didn't count on losing consciousness...she just kept bleeding out after the pack was filled!" Smith said bitterly, trying to keep his stoic professionalism in check.

"Her pulse is weak and breath is shallow..."Will said softly.

"I can see that, William! Check on your sister!" Dr. Smith snapped.

Startled by the old man's tone, Will could see the dam of emotion was about to burst as Smith's angry eyes swelled with tears.

Judy's vitals slowly balanced as the blood pack drained into her IV. Mrs. Robinson smiled and stroked her daughter's face as a healthy color came back. When Dr. Smith gasped, Maureen and Will turned to see Venus stiffen in Smith's lap and convulse.

"William?!" Smith cried in a high pitch tone.

Will dashed to a storage cabinet and tossed a manual respirator to Dr. Smith. The young man snatched a saline bag from the counter and fixed it to a drip stand that fed directly into Venus' IV tube. He tried to hold her still the best that he could as Dr. Smith manually pumped the ventilator over her nose and mouth. It wasn't long before her tremors ceased and her body relaxed.

Smith looked up at Will, crouched next to him. His blue eyes were bloodshot and wet.  
"Thank you William..." he whispered. "Thank you for your friendship, for always giving me the benefit of a doubt...and bless your kind heart for saving-"

"Your wife?" Will interrupted.

"Well uh, I..." Smith was suddenly caught off guard. He realized the Robinsons and Major West were all staring at him, expecting a tell-all response from Dr. Zachary Smith. So naturally, The Good Doctor did what he had always done when put on the spot: He gave his most innocent wide-eyed expression, as if to say, _"Who me?"_


	13. Chapter 13

_A few weeks later..._

"Come along! Come along!" Dr. Smith's baritone voice boomed across camp. "The sooner we start, the sooner we can finish!"

Professor Robinson pulled a chair out for his wife as she cuddled their middle grandchild and sat himself next to Penelope at the outdoor table. Don and Judy were already seated, Jenny poking in the dirt under her daddy's chair and Joshua sleeping in his mother's arms. "Come along!" Smith ordered again as he marched to the head of the table.

"We're here, Smith...waiting on you!" Don teased.

"Yes, quite amusing Major...where is William and the Missus?"

"Right here, Dr. Smith" Will called from the Jupiter 2 hatch. Venus carefully made her way down the ramp with Will's arm hooked around hers.

"Ah yes, hurry along now dears..."

Will pulled a chair out for Venus next to Judy where she promptly held her arms out for a turn holding the new baby. Smith put his hand of her shoulder and waited for Will to be seated.

"You are all probably wondering why we have requested your presence for this meeting..." He began.

The Robinsons and The Wests all looked around the table at one another with sheepish grins. "Well yes, Dr. Smith...we were hoping for some answers", Professor Robinson said with good humor.

"All in due time, Professor...but first I would like to-"

"Oh Zachary, let me?" Venus interrupted. Smith hesitated momentarily before nodding and taking a seat next to her. She gave him a look of gratitude before boisterously declaring, "Yes! We're married and have been for quite some time!"

"Why didn't either of you say anything?!" Penelope asked with a twinge of hurt in her voice. The rest of the camp murmured in agreement.

"Zachary and I exchanged vows privately one night. We had planned to share the news the next morning but..." She sighed. "Love must have been in the air, because Don and Judy announced their engagement at breakfast. Everyone was just so excited, as were we...and we didn't want to steal your thunder." She continued with a plea of forgiveness.

"Oh come now, there were plenty of opportunities to say something after the wedding..." Judy said skeptically.

"N-not exactly, my dear..." Smith chimed in. "Shortly after the ceremony came the news of Jennifer's arrival...and then Jonathan and now Joshua. We never wanted to spoil things." Embarrassment and hope for forgiveness tensed his brow and the lines around his eyes.

"After awhile we just kind of figured it didn't matter anymore," Venus shrugged.

"Well of course it matters!" Professor Robinson exclaimed. "You're part of us aren't you?" The Smiths looked at one another, unsure of how to respond.

" _Of course you are!_ " Maureen declared, half laughing. "You're part of this family and we love you!"

"I wouldn't go that far, Maureen!" Don joked as Judy gave him a look. He stood with his hands up defensively, "I'm kidding! ...Doctor and Doctor Smith, let me be the first to congratulate you on your nuptials!" Don beamed and shook Zachary's hand.

"Here! Here!" Penelope cheered.

"Yes, we're all very happy for the both of you," The Professor said with a handsome smile.

"We apologize if we hurt any feelings by withholding the news, it was never our intention. As always we appreciate your understanding and support...however there is one last thing..."

"Oh?" Professor Robinson laced his fingers across his chest expectantly.

Smith took a deep breath and closed his eyes before quickly blurting, "Venus and I desire to move out of the Jupiter 2 and construct a home of our own a little way off from camp."

"I know we've requested this before the children arrived but no better time like the present," Venus added.

"Are you putting me on?" Don asked.

"I assure you Major, I put no one on. The Jupiter 2 was built for 6 and there are 11 of us now, room is becoming scarce. The cabin we share would surely be of use for three small children and it's not as if we're isolating ourselves from all of you...we'll be over daily for meals-"

" _And_ helping with chores!" Venus interrupted, giving her husband a sardonic smile. "And helping with the children ...and to continue Will's education in medicine." She added proudly, putting her hand on Will's shoulder. The teen turned pink for a moment and smiled.

"We just desire a bit more privacy as we ...grow older..." Smith said hesitantly.

The camp fell silent, both families stunned by the Smiths' proposal and looked to Professor Robinson. John sat quietly for a moment as if carefully selecting the right words in his head. "I think you're right" he finally said.

"You do?" Smith responded.

"Space _is_ limited and privacy isn't an unreasonable request..." He said calmly, crossing his arms. "Our initial mission was to pioneer human colonization of deep space. This may not be Alpha Centauri but we're doing what we intended to do when we agreed to leave Earth. In spite of all odds, we've flourished. Perhaps it is time to branch out beyond the ship's walls...Smiths, you've got my support."

Zachary and Venus beamed joyously. They weren't sure of what to expect from the camp when the news was delivered, but they were overwhelmed from The Robinsons and Wests unconditional love and friendship.

Jenny crawled out from under her father's chair and stood before Dr. Smith with her arms over her head. Indicating she wanted to be held. Gently he scooped her up and she shyly rubbed an eye with a dirty fist. "Uncey Zach? Is it you and Auntie V's turn for BB's?" She asked in a sleepy tone, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Smith softly chuckled, "No my little darling...you and your brother's are all the BB's we could ever want." He gave the little girl a hug and looked down affectionately at his wife, holding Joshua. The arched brow and half grin she returned, puzzled him...but it was her evil wink that turned the last few of his dark hairs as white as the rest. Smith swallowed hard as the Professor stood to take the groggy child from him.

"So it seems as though we have a great deal to discuss, Smith."

"We do?" He squeaked, somewhat distracted.

"Why sure!" Don boomed, standing to give Smith a hard pat on the back. "We should get started designing your new abode!"

Smith swallowed hard again, "Oh...yes, I suppose we should..." He resumed his commanding tone as Don and John lead him inside of the Jupiter 2. "I shall require ample sleeping quarters and a sizable study...nothing to sneeze at like that tin can I've been packed in for the last some odd years..."

Will leaned in close to Venus and whispered, "How long are we keeping this under wraps?"

"About another month...just to see how things develop..." She responded without looking up and discreetly extended a pinky finger toward him. Instinctively, Will hooked his own pinky around hers for a moment.

"Well now Johnny! I think Jenny has the right idea; you munchkins could use a nap!" Maureen cooed at her oldest grandson.

"Nooo!" The little boy fussed. "No nap!"

"Oh Mother, let me help put the kids down." Judy offered, struggling to get up from her chair.

"No no no no..." Maureen insisted

"No no no no", Johnny echoed his grandmother's words.

"You both need to stay off of your feet and build you strength back up" Maureen gestured to both Judy and Venus.

"Relax sis, I can handle the tots with mom...and Will is here if either of you need anything." Penelope chimed in, taking the sleeping infant from Venus. Judy let out a defeated sigh as Will pushed an empty chair towards her, beckoning to put her feet up. Little Johnny continued to fuss as his grandmother carried him into the ship with Penelope and Joshua. "Joshy isn't afraid to nap!" Penny teased her nephew.

"Sheesh!" Venus lamented. "I'm not used to such stagnation!"

"It's only for a few more days for you, Venus..." Will offered comfortingly.

"Yes and at least we're in the fresh air instead of being cooped up in bed", Judy added.

"Oh my dears, thank you for your clemency but I fear that boredom may very well kill me...whatever shall we do to pass the time?" Venus bemoaned.

Will smirked at the all too familiar Smith dramatics. Judy thought for a good long moment before a sly grin crawled across her sweet face, "Either of you read any good books lately?"


	14. Author's Notes

All _Lost in Space_ characters belong to...Kevin Burns, I believe?

Other scifi literature referenced: C.L. Moore's "Shambleau" & "No Woman Born".

Edmond Hamilton's "Captain Future".

Jack Kirby & Dick Ayers' "I Found Monstrom the Dweller of the Black Swamp".

Leigh Brackett's "Last Call for Sector 9G".

Philip Jose Farmer's "The Maker of Universes" and John Wyndham's "Day of the Triffids".

Joshua West borrow from Bill Mumy. Jennifer and Jonathan West are original characters of my own, as is Dr. Venus Coagula. The name was pulled out of an old college text book as a joke moniker for ordering pizza under. Ended up fitting the bill when I wrote my first fanfic female lead; a combination of Dr. Helena Russell, Dorothy Parker, and Minnie Pearl.

Thank you for reading, it's been a lot of fun writing _Lost In Space_ fan-fiction.


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